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News Article

Mortar Attack Kills Two 13th COSCOM Soldiers

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2004  Two soldiers from the 13th Corps Support Command died and 16 were injured as a result of a mortar attack on a multinational force base near Baghdad today, according to a news release.

Eight of the injured were air-evacuated to the 31st Combat Support Hospital (Baghdad) where the two later died of their injuries. The other 10 were evacuated by ground ambulance to multinational force medical facilities.

Names of the dead are being withheld until officials notify the next of kin. The attack is under investigation.

In other news, Iraqi Defense Ministry officials reported they had captured Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri today. Al-Douri was deputy commander of armed forces under Saddam Hussein. However, coalition officials in Baghdad said they had no knowledge of al-Douri's capture. The Multinational Force Iraq command said it did not have al-Douri in custody.

News reports said the Iraqis are running blood tests on the individual they have in custody.

In another incident, anti-Iraqi terrorists exploded a car bomb outside an Iraqi police station in Kirkuk today, killing 15 police officers and wounding 34. Two civilians were also wounded in the attack.

Anti-Iraqi forces have aimed a number of attacks at Iraqi targets hoping to intimidate the populace. "The people of Iraq continue to come forward and volunteer to help build a new Iraq," said coalition officials in Iraq. The Iraqi police are investigating the attack.

1st Infantry Division soldiers detained 12 anti-Iraq terrorists who launched a mortar attack on a base near Balad Sept. 4. According to a release, a patrol detained 12 men and confiscated a number of weapons. The patrol confiscated 11 AK-47 assault rifles, three bolt-action rifles, five grenades, two sniper scopes, four million Iraqi dinar (about $3,000), a large amount of drugs and drug paraphernalia.

The assault conducted with Iraqi forces resulted in the capture of 15 Iraqi extremists and criminals. The house contained a large weapons cache that included multiple improvised explosive devices. One soldier was slightly injured during the assault.

The Stryker Brigade Combat Team aided the Iraqi National Guard in Tal Afar Sept. 4, according to another news release. Soldiers detained 18 and killed two anti-Iraqi forces. The area is about 50 kilometers west of Mosul. Three Iraqi National Guard soldiers were wounded when they were attacked with rocket- propelled grenades.

As part of the operation, enemy forces hit an OH-58D Kiowa surveillance helicopter, which made a controlled landing near Tal Afar about. The two crew members sustained non-life threatening injuries during the landing, and are in stable condition in a military hospital in Mosul.

Investigation into the cause of the controlled landing revealed that the helicopter had been hit by enemy fire, starting a fire in the engine compartment.

In recovering the helicopter and crew, enemy forces disabled a Stryker vehicle. While securing the site, multinational forces continued to take enemy fire, and soldiers returned fire, killing two anti-Iraqi forces.

In response to continued enemy fire at the site, commanders called for close- air support. The aircraft dropped a bomb near the city.

Local hospitals reported 50 wounded and nine dead as a result of Sept. 4 attacks on Iraqi National Guard and Multinational forces in Tal Afar.

The city has been a suspected haven for anti-Iraqi forces crossing into Iraq from Syria, according to the release. Multinational forces and Iraqi security forces have targeted the city to rid it of the anti-Iraqi forces conducting terrorist activities throughout the northern region and to bring peace and stability to the civilians who live in the city.